Fire hose washer



May 25, 1943. R.- COTTON v2,320,173

' nmposm WASHER v Filed Jan. 10, 1942 2 smug-sneer. 1-

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS May 25, 1943. R. L. COTTON FIRE HDSE WASHER FiledJan. 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .aarl 1 (bl/am ATTORNEYS Patented May 25,1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE HOSE WASHER Robert L. Cotton,Holdenville, Okla.

Application January 10, 1942, Serial No. 426,353

' 4 Claims. (01. 15 40) This invention relates to a fire hose washer andhas for an object to provide a device of this character which will washand scrub conventional fire hose of the one and one half inch type, orthe two and one half inch type, either in the conventional fifty footlength or a plurality of lengths coupled together.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which thehose may be fed into and between the brushes by a fireman standing atone side of .the device, and may be withdrawn by a fireman standing atthe opposite side, the device being so constructed that the hose may bebacked and run through the device as many times as may be necessaryuntil the hose is completely cleaned of any adhering soil.

' A further object is to provide a device of this character in which thebrushes are arranged in opposite pairs to wash and scrub the top andbottom sides, as well as the edges of the hose, the brushes beingcarried by a reciprocating frame which moves lengthwise of the hose tosimulate manual scrubbing which is usually accomplished by washing firehose with a broom or stiff brush on a concrete floor and this is a slowand tedious process.

' A further object is to provide a device of this character which willbe formed of a few simplestrong and durable parts, which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.7 v

. With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel details of con struction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fire hose washer constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure-2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken line 5-5 of Figure 2showing the slides, guides therefor carried by the end plates, and thecrank and pitman connection for reciprocating the brushes.

Figure 6 is a detailed cross sectional view showing a hose in positionbetween the brushes.

Figure 7 is a detailed perspective view showin one of the slidesconnected to the brush carry ing frame for reciprocating the framelongitudinally of the hose.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, It] designates an openframe through which the hose II is fed by two firemen standing atopposite sides of the washing machine. As best shown in Figure 2 theframe is rectangular and comprises vertically disposed end bars l2 andI3, and horizontally disposed bars I4 and I5.

Upper and lower brushes l6 and H, see Figure 6, are secured to the upperand lower bars of the frame by clamp bars l8 and [9, see Figure 2, andthe clamp bars are bolted to the frame bars as shown at 20 to permitrenewal of the brushes when worn out. The brushes-clean and scrub theupper and lower sides of the hose while the hose is passing betweenthem. The brushes are adjustably secured to the frame H] for adjustmenttoward or away from each other to receive various sizes of fire hose,and for this purpose vertical rows of openings 2| are provided in eachend bar to interchangeably receive the upper and lower securing bolts 22of the upper and lower bars.

Brushes 23, for cleaning the sides of the hose, see Figure 1, areadjustably secured to the end bars l2 and I3 of the frame I0 throughthemedium of superposed horizontally extending bars 24 which areprovided with respective rows of openings 25, see Figure 2, tointerchangeably receive bolts 26 passed through openings in the endbars. Each brush 23 is clamped between clamp bars 21, see Figure 4, bybolts 28 passed through the bars and the brush to permit replacement ofthe brush when worn out. As shown in Figure 7, the clamp bars 21 aresecured to the respective superposed adjustably mounted bars 24 by bolts29.

Side plates 9 are provided at the front and rear sides of the device,these plates being of substantially rectangular contour. The plates areprovided with respective openings 8, see Figure 6, through which thehose is trained to pass between the brushes.

Pairs of substantially rectangular plates 30 are located at oppositeends of the brush carrying frame I0, see Figures 1 and 2. Horizontalguide bars 3| are fixed to the confronting faces of each pair and slideplates 32, see Figure 2, are mounted in the guides formed by the guideplates. Arms 33 are fixed to the end bars of the brush carrying frameand pass through slots 34 in the innermost plates of each pair, seeFigure 2. The slots incline downwardly and inwardly to prevent the watersprayed on the brushes and hose from reaching the slide plates 32. Thearms 33 are fixed to uprights 35, see Figure 7, carried by the slideplates 32. the slide plates are reciprocated the brush carrying frameIII will be reciprocated longitudinally of the hose to carry the brushescorrespondingly to effect thorough scrubbing and cleaning of the hose.

For reciprocating the brush carrying frame l0 an electric motor 36 ismounted on a base plate 31 to which the side plates 9 and end plates 30are secured. The speed of the motor is stepped down and transmitted to acrankshaft 31 through the medium of a small pullley 38 on the motorshaft 39, the small pulley being connected by a belt 4!], see Figure 3,to a large pulley 4| carried by a stub shaft 42 which is secured to oneof the end plates 30 and which is equipped with a small pulley 43 whichis connected by a belt 44 to a large pulley 45 on the crankshaft 31. Thecrankshaft is equipped with cranks 46 which are located between therespective pairs of the end plates 30, see Figure 1, and the cranks areconnected by pitmans 4'! to wrist pins .8, see Figures and 7', on therespective slide plates 32.

superposed pairs of tie bolts 49, see Figures 1 and 4, connect the pairsof end plates 30 together.

superposed pairs of spray pipes Ell extend through the end plates 30 atone end of the device and are located on opposite sides of the upper andlower brushes l5 and H, see Figure 4. Each pair of spray pipes isconnected at one end to a vertically disposed pipe 5|, see Figure 2..The vertically disposed pipe El is connected to the end of ahorizontally disposed pipe 52, see Figure 1, and this pipe is. connectedto a. supply pipe 53 for supplying water in the form of jets or spraysto both the hose and the brushes Simultaneously.

Since, the operation of the parts has been described as the. descriptionof the parts progressed it is thought. that. the invention will be fullyunderstood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A fire hose washer comprising a vertically disposed open framethrough which the hose being washed passes, said frame having upper,lower and end bars, brushes for cleaning the sides of the hose carriedby the upper and lower bars of the frame, brushes for cleaning theedges.

of the hose carried. by the. end bars of the frame, means for adjustingthe brushes of each pair toward or away from each other to effect propercontact, of the brushes with the hose, plates located at opposite endsof the brush carrying When frame, horizontal guides carried by theplates, slide plates mounted in the guides, uprights on the slideplates, arms secured to the end bars of the brush carrying frame midwaytheir ends and engaged through slots in the plates and fixed to theuprights on the slide plates, means for reciprocating the slide platesto reciprocate the brush carrying frame longitudinally of the hose, andwater spray pipesdisposed on opposite sides of the upper and lowerbrushes for supplying water to both the hose and the brushes duringreciprocation of the brushes.

2. A fire hose washer comprising a vertically disposed open framethrough which the hose being washed passes, said frame having upper,lower and end bars, end plates having inclined slots located at oppositeends of the frame, horizontal guides on the plates, slide plates mountedin the guides, arms connected to the end bars of the frame projectingthrough said inclined slots in the plates for supporting the frame forreciprocatory movement. on the plates, the slots preventing water usedin the washer from reaching the slide plates, uprights carried by theslide plates connected to the outer ends of the arms for reciprocatingthe frame when the slide plates are reciprocated, means forreciprocating the slides plates, brushes for cleaning the edges of thehose carried by the end bars of the frame, brushes for cleaning thesides of the hose carried by the upper and lower bars of the frame, andwater spray pipes disposed on opposite sides of the last named brushesfor supplying water to both the hose and the brushes.

3. A fire hose washer, comprising a rectangular fixed open frame throughwhich a hose may pass, side plates carried bythe frame, a brush carryingframe mounted within the open frame and having end bars, horizontallyand vertically disposed brushes carried bythe brush frame,

means whereby the brushes may be adjusted, horizontal guides on the sideplates of the open frame, slide plates mounted in the gui'des,'means foroperating said slide plates, upwardly and inwardly extending armscarried by the slide plates and passing through downwardly inclinedslotsin the side plates and connected to end bars of the brush carryingframe midway their ends, and means for supplying fiuid' upon the brushesfrom above and below the brush carrying frame.

4. A fire hose washer, comprising a rectangular fixed open frame throughwhich a hose may pass, side plates carried by the frame, a brushcarrying frame mounted Within the open frame, horizontally andvertically disposed brushes carried by the brush frame, means foradjusting said brushes, horizogntal guides on the side plates of theopen frame, slide plates mounted in the guides, means for operating saidslide. plates, upwardly and inwardly extending arms carried by the slideplates and passing through downwardly inclined slots inthe side platesand connected to the brush carrying frame midway its ends, and means forsupplying fluid to the brushes.

ROBERT L. CQTTON.

